I recently received a positive comment about my interviewing skill from a Practical Faith Academy podcast guest. It got me to thinking about the mistake I made long ago with my most stressful interview guest that led me to improvement.
Podcast guest Barbara Ann Holmes wrote: "I've done quite a few interviews and he spent the most time researching and actually paying attention to learning about who he interviews." (You can hear Barbara Ann's excellent conversation in Episode 12 by searching for Practical Faith Academy on major podcast platforms or by clicking on the PFA box at CecilTaylorMinistries.com).
Back in my radio days 35 years ago, I learned the hard way about preparing for interviews.
I was the part-time host of a daily show called "Coffee Talk" on KGVL-AM 1400 in Greenville, Texas. The half-hour show covered a variety of news and human interest topics.
Our station was contacted by the campaign of Jim Nugent, the incumbent Texas Railroad Commission Chairman. They were barnstorming across Texas and wanted to be interviewed, so we booked Nugent onto "Coffee Talk."
Do you know much about the Texas Railroad Commission? I didn't. The commission's name is a misnomer; the board actually regulates oil and gas in Texas, an unfamiliar topic for me. I actually did do some research and came up with five questions to ask during the 30-minute show. I figured five questions was enough, as I was interviewing a politician; each question would likely draw a five-minute answer, since in my experience, politicians would talk your ear off. With commercials and chit chat, I could make it through a half-hour conversation.
Mr. Nugent was not your typical politician. He was well-informed but a man of few words. I was surprised that he answered each of my questions with a succinct, one-minute response. This means, only a few minutes into the show, I had burned through all of my questions!
I don't know what I looked like on the outside, but I was in full panic mode on the inside. My mind was racing to formulate questions. Time after time, I would try to listen to what he was saying while thinking of another question, knowing I had one minute until he sent the conversation back to me. Most of the time, I literally would start speaking without knowing the next word that was coming out of my mouth as I tried to ramble into some reasonable question. Somehow, I used a combination of my listening skill, my natural curiosity, and the small research I had done to wing yet another question, over and over. The seconds ticked fast but the hourglass was draining slowly toward the end of the show.
I made it through the interview but was in full sweat. My adrenalin was churning through my body. My heart didn't stop racing for a couple of hours. Nugent shook my hand, thanked me for the interview, and exited the building, but his press secretary stayed behind.
He also thanked me and said, "I have to tell you - we have traveled all over the state, and that was the most amazing interview we've had! You drew responses out of him that I haven't heard. Fantastic job!"
I said, "I must be honest: I had no idea what question I was going to ask next, but I just kept going." He replied, "I'm surprised! You couldn't hear it in your voice."
Like the Grinch's heart expanded when he discovered the true meaning of Christmas, my interviewing skill ballooned that day when I learned the true meaning of interviewing. Or at least, I learned that I never wanted to be caught off guard like that again!
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